Costard: Let me not be pent up, sir; I will fast, being loose.
Moth: No, sir, that were fast and loose; thou shalt to prison.

Shakespeare’s Love’s Labor’s Lost

(1.ii.95-6)

Horoscopes for 2-28-2023

3/7/23 Full Moon 16°40’ Pisces/Virgo

This is the last Full Moon with no Saturn, for spell. Happy birthday. There’s a great day a-comin’, but this might not be on the ideal Pisces timetable. Just a fair warning, happy birthday, etc., there’s an interruption to the Pisces schedule. This is not without some benefits, and knowing about the uncertain qualities might help, realizing that there is a slightly disturbing, slightly unusual upset on a collision course. Make room for uncertainties in the Pisces (birthday) Life. Realize that not all exigencies can be accommodated, but you can be prepared. I have two bags, perpetually packed. Part of this is dealing with aging parents, part of this dealing with other perceived family emergencies, but part of this is looking forward. Two bags, packed. Cables, lotions, potions, charging blocks, and a toothbrush. One is overnight, ready to roll, and the other is just a kit bag, more like a purse, just a few items, but enough to survive. Grab bags, happy birthday, Pisces. Get ready?

There are two cartoon images that come to mind. While other astrology writers will laud this time as wonderful for Aries and what–ever? I’ll warn about the cartoon images that this brings up. Two. Two images, and those can be adjusted as need be. I won’t link to any cartoons because I can’t find them fast enough, maybe you can send me links? The first image? It’s an animal, in a great hurry, and his (or her) legs spin so fast that the cartoon version? It’s a circular wheel, with occasional feet sticking out, spinning in a circle, and not going anywhere. Lots of action and no traction. It combines spinning motions with a lack of forward progress. The second cartoon? A similar but different version?

The spinning feet as the cartoon character heads off in a new direction, only, as if the body politic itself was made of rubber, or similar elastic material? The feet spin off in a new direction but the torso remains in place. Eventually, there’s a rubber-band effect and the torso will snap back into place, but the motion is almost violent, “Boing!” How this applies to Aries? Either spinning in one place and not getting anywhere at all, like the first version, or your Aries transportation is getting way ahead of the rest of you. In the cartoon depiction? It’s funny. In real life?

I’ve long since given up, surrendered, and stopped analyzing my source of data. I dream stuff up. I hear voices in my head (not really, but like that). The spirits speak to me from the airy regions of the mind that defy taxonomy. Or I have a good imagination — we’re never sure. I read a lot of books, off and on, might be that, or some silly TV show, again, never can tell the source of my data. Inspiration, enlightenment, moral indignation to one, and other forces, cosmic, and otherwise, are all at work on Taurus — all at work, and working for Taurus. It’s good. It’s great, it’s possibly brilliant. Might not be wonderful, but does that matter? Feels like a moment of inspiration, and the best advice I’ve got? Follow that lead. Follow it wherever that inspiration, cosmic, misguided, intuitive, or wack-a-doodle as it might seem? The Pisces flavor, and combine that with a Full Moon in Virgo? Weird Taurus inspiration. Follow it, if only for the time being.

Xmas lights. To some, “Christmas Lights.” To others? I’m unsure of the proper nomenclature, but the idea is the same, the little, tinkling strands of lights are used to adorn trees, houses, and some people get a little carried away — reminds me of a book titled Tinsel. Can always link to the various Xmas displays of dancing lights. This isn’t about the Xmas that just passed, either, the roots, and realities of holiday excess, this is about a solution for all that ails dear Gemini. In one place it was a section of Xmas lights scattered across the top of a bookshelf. In a certain trailer park, it was the casually careful arrangement of seasonal lights that were realistically annuals rather than just seasonal, and that sets a tone, even to this day. A string of Xmas lights, either as a Gemini fashion statement, or as a simple design element, either inside or out? All it takes. Think about it: a simple string of Xmas lights.

Emotions tend to cloud intellect. I kind of depend on that. One of my most frequent kinds of consultations is when the emotional coloring of a situation, when that emotional flavor clearly overrides what is a more rational answer. To be honest, the irrational answer is usually way more fun, if not also more expedient, and perhaps, satisfying. Rational logic has its place, but dear, sweet Cancer–Moon Children don’t see that at this moment. Your options split down the middle, on the one side, the logic dictates a specific answer that might — or probably isn’t — a fulfilling answer. The irrational side dictates a different answer, with its predicted outcome. “Seriously, what could go wrong?” If you have to ask?

“It can’t get any worse, can it?”

There are two solutions, and neither one is particularly effective, but then given the approach of that full moon, along a Pisces/Virgo axis? Maybe we don’t want a single, definitive answer. A hard “maybe” works wonders. Anyway, one of two routes, way I see it, pretty simple. One of them? With mounting anxiety, with growing Leo anxiety, which is better than regular anxiety, the best course of action? Slam down an extra cup of coffee and see where that takes us. The other option, not one that I like, but I’ve seen it effectively deployed? Replace the regular coffee with decaf, I mean do so surreptitiously. For me, that works on occasion, as I get an emotional response, a state-dependent wake-up call from the decaf, thinking that the caffeine is going to be activated soon, and I start perking up. Or, double down. Individually, it varies, but the direction, I think that’s clear enough — for the mighty Leo. Double down or cut it down to a mere ten percent. I think that’s clear enough — for the mighty Leo.

There is a temptation to rush long before we establish where our own feet are. Ready to run headlong into a situation that might be better served if a cooler, more reasonable assessment took place — first. “Walk before running?” Yeah, I guess. I mean, that was the original idea I was struggling with, that not-always Virgo-like urge to rush forward with what looks like it should be excellent, only to discover that there are some questions about trajectory, the footing, the friction coefficient, and other supporting elements. “Learn to walk before running?” That would be one point. And my other suggestion? “Facts, not fictions.” While I can pull it off, no Virgo here, bumbling forward at a high rate of speed, I can get away with making an accident look intentional? Much harder for a near perfect Virgo to pull it off with my kind of calm. So walk, don’t run, and determine what’s fact, and what is fiction.

I tried so hard to seem normal. It’s just not working out. In my own way, I am about median average. Age, health, astrology characteristics, yeah, about “normal” for my grouping — at least in my mind. Therein is the problem, and the inherent Libra comparison that someone — not me — will make. In my mind, I’m perfectly normal. Frequently, upon first greeting I’ll ask the obvious question, “What’s your birthday?” Obvious, to me, and perfectly normal (in my world), which, when we add all of this up, is where the problem starts. It’s perfectly normal, in the Libra’s mind, but that’s about it. Tends to do with what we use to measure, and like me? In my mind? I am perfectly normal. However, according to outside data points — what other people observe and comment upon? Maybe not so much. I know, for Libra, this seems normal. And how do I know? I try so had to be normal.

There’s a certain point where a feller gets tired, cranky, and just stops putting forth the effort. It’s not that I’m tired, cranky, and aging, all of which is true, but some days, the effort just doesn’t even come close to justifying the rewards. What I get for what I put out, collectively, and individually, just doesn’t get what I want, back in return, and some days, not even close.

“Why bother?”

Sounds like Scorpio — through my lens — might be apathetic. Less about true apathy and more about weighing the pros and cons, the relative merits versus the effort expended, balancing all of this gets tiresome and burdensome. That’s the singular problem, weighing the good and the bad, the necessary and the fun, the duty and the irresponsible amusement. Which way does this go? Individually, that will vary from Scorpio to Scorpio; however, there’s a sense, keep moving forward even though it seems like the rewards aren’t worth it, they will be soon. In weeks, if not days.

Doesn’t matter where I’m at, doesn’t matter what the destination is, either. I will always forget something. To prevent this from happening too often? From decades of business travel, I adapted a system wherein, immediately upon arriving at home, from a trailer in Austin to a coastal condo and now suburban San Antonio? When I arrive at “home,” wherever that might be? The first action is to empty out the dirty clothes, get ready to wash them at the laundromat, and figure out what business supplies I ran out of, what I was short on, and what I forgot to grab. It is a simple kind of inventory, dump out the dirt, throw clothes in the washer, and figure out what I forgot, put that in the bag for the next trip. In essence, I keep I “go-bag” always packed, ready. Also means, before the next trip, I don’t have to stop and pause, “What did I forget last time?” Anymore, travel is severely limited to just local trips and not much of that, not nearly as much as before. But the habit, it is a good habit, pause, unpacking, figuring out what I need for the next time — while the notion is fresh in our Sagittarius skull. Do it now, so you don’t have to try and remember what you forgot, next time. Just take care of that while you unpack, and then, we’re ready to go again.

I paused to review the last statement I got from being an amazon affiliate. Less than a single dollar in the previous month. Still, everything counts, and I don’t belong to the affiliate program — see the fineprint for related disclosures — I don’t spend the extra effort to build in links because there’s some kind of serious profit here, no, that’s not it. As a good Capricorn, I’m sure you’ll understand, “It’s the principle.” If I read a book, see a movie, partake in some kind literary material, if it is something that I like? Or don’t like? I try to build I a quick amazon associate link. From reviewing the sales data, my commission is often less than a dollar in a whole month. I’ve been at this long enough, I have several years when the sales and commissions didn’t even trigger a 1099 form, the ubiquitous income tax identifier. Then why bother? If I don’t do it, then someone else will, that is, if I don’t build in an affiliate link, then someone else gets the money. But more important, and most important to good Capricorn? It’s the principle. May not pay, or may not pay well, evidence of my last “income and commission” report, but it means something to me. Capricorn — it’s the principle.

I had a stack clothes laid out — had an early morning start the next day. In my pre-dawn rush to get cleaned up and out the door, I neglected to put on the clean shorts I’d left out, and I just pulled up the existing pair. Didn’t even notice until I got back, after dark, that evening. Traveling, hustling, and I’m too old for this hustle, but work is work, and I was at it. The forgetful nature was worrisome, but I have a good excuse, it was dark, it was cold, and I was in a hurry. One black pair of shorts looks just like another. Cleanliness is relative, I would hope, and unless there is a tragic accident, I’m usually pretty clean. Not much of a worry, there. It’s the unsettling understanding, the day after, when I realize I was walking around in less-than-pristine attire. No one noticed, or if they did notice? No one made any kind of a judgmental noise. Couple of valid points here for Aquarius consideration? “Grab and go” works just fine, even if you don’t get all the correct material on you at the time of the “grab,” and? The old adage, “The clothes make the man?” Might not apply, at this time, to Aquarius.